Nineteen (19) felony suspects are described as Hispanic (6.5% of the total); six suspects as Asian (2%). The Sheriff's Department describes 15 suspects as of "unknown" racial heritage. Michael Purvis, felony suspectBoone County includes Columbia, Ashland, Centralia, Hallsville, and several smaller communities.

But population demographics cannot explain the long-running media trend toward reporting black crime more frequently -- and in more detail -- than white crime.

Daniel Woods, felony suspectIn fact, the opposite should be true: If white persons are a majority of the population and commit a majority of crimes, media reports of white crime should equal -- or exceed -- media reports of black crime.

But they don't, which worries researchers like Mizzou Journalism School professor Cyndi Frisby, Ph.D.

"The media portrays black males in one of three ways: as entertainers, athletes, or criminals," she told an audience at Thursday's University of Missouri Black Studies Conference.